48 Days of Running - tick

48 days ago I began my annual pre-birthday challenge. This year it was back to basics with 4km (minimum) per day for the number of consecutive days of the age that I would be turning. This year, the big ol' number is 48.

One of my goals was to do more road running as I really have not run much road for a good 3.5 to 4 years. I quickly settled back into road with around four sessions a week on tar.

I found myself thinking back to my years of growing up, living and running in Joburg suburbs. I loved running in the evenings - in the dark in winter - when the roads were quiet, breathing in the scents of dinners cooking. I have really enjoyed getting back to my roots, which was road, and I'll be keeping this up. 

Early on in the challenge I had some days when I felt pretty tired, especially with running after hard crossfit sessions. The body adapts and this got easier as my fitness improved and my body settled into the load. 

I used running to do errands and for commuting too. I would run to and from crossfit to make best use of my time. This worked really well. I also did a few runs to friends to either meet them or drop-off / pick-up stuff.

The last seven weeks were mostly smooth but there were a few days when it was more difficult to get out. Like the days when I put on rain pants and a rain jacket to run to and from crossfit, the next event when I ran in this rain gear and two nights recently in the Drakensberg when we'd finished with the day's talks, it was dark and cold, and I still needed to get out for a run instead of hanging out with friends.

Going for a run is always the best course of action. I always felt better during and afterwards, and I probably 'missed out' on little over 40 minutes of social hanging out (including a shower), so I did not ever miss much.

Having friends and family that help to enable activity is a treasure, like being able to run somewhere leaving a bag in the car for my mom to take along. Or running to a friend to catch a lift elsewhere. Or running back to camp from a concert, dropping my stuff in the car and have the right type of friends who support what you do and just leave to do and enjoy, transporting your gear and driving off with a wave. 

I was also very fortunate to have company on many of my runs. When I started this challenge, Otto said he was keen to join me on some runs as he was aiming to pick up his running. He ran a good number of sessions with me. The GTR Monday and Thursday runs provided lots of company, the Van Dalens hike was a win, and Talita also joined in for a few runs. I enjoyed a social morning session in the Berg, a run with Jenny the weekend before last, and a run with Carine this past weekend in Cape Town. 

(with my ex foster puppy Snow, a run on the beach in CT with Carine, Snow and Sophie) 

My Rosy dog has been a very faithful, eager and reliable running companion. 

This birthday challenge, as always, reminds me how important daily running is to me, how my body thrives on a heavier load, and how I really can squeeze a run into every day, if I prioritise myself and activity.

Today, Day 48, I had planned to meet up with Otto and Talita for a late afternoon run. Otto was down I'll so it was to be me and Talita, and one or more of their sons. I'd also put it out yesterday on our friend group to invite anyone around at 4pm to join us. 

I met up with Talita and Adam. She innocently said that Jamie, Adam's girlfriend needed the loo and had gone to Zelda's house around the corner.

As we approached, I saw a colourful bunch of friends dressed ready to run.. Sneaky devils. All the ones that had said on the group that they wouldn't be there, were there. We had a lovely run and then hit the Trail Kiosk for tea/coffee.

(these fabulous photos by Zelda) 

Cliffy and Tracey rocked up and then my mom arrived having walked from home with Bella-dog. Mom and I walked home together, looking at houses and flowers.

I've had a super day of messages and catching up with some friends and family. 

A good day to count my blessings. 

I love living in George for its mountains and trails and waterways. I am doubly blessed to have a great group of friends who are kind, caring and supportive, active and adventurous. They make George a home. 

1st birthday adventure outing for Cani

For Cani's first birthday, an adventure outing. 

We had a mission to help Otto find some driftwood. 

Wide open, rocky, tall trees and very beautiful

We didn't make it to the Old George Dam and instead followed a beautiful stream in the forest. I haven't been here for a long time and it is a lot wider than I remembered. And absolutely beautiful. 

Rosy on my right. Cani on my left.

I took Cani and Rosy (Rusty went with granny Liz to the park). My pair of black dogs love water and adventures. For the first time Cani didn't try to nip Otto's leg. She even leapt from rock to rock alongside him. She is learning about having friends. Very proud of this agile adventure birthday girl.

Cani and Rosy

Back home, we rounded off Cani's birthday with doggy dessert. Super delicious home-baked liver treats topped with a dash of mashed potato frosting. Doggy equivalent of a chocolate torte. 

Home baked liver treat with mashed potato frosting for dessert.

And couch cuddles. Happy birthday little girl xxx

Loves for granny

Tired girl snoozing with her head on my arm xxx

Happy 1st birthday to my puppies

 I don't think I've posted about the three puppies that I fostered. The 4.5 months with them in my life, from August last year, was a bit of a blur. I did post about them on Facebook and I'll write about them here at some stage. I've had a post in mind of how one goes from one dog to six and then to four. haha haha

The short version is that I kept one of the puppies, Canada (I call her Cani). She has a bad heart condition and poor prognosis. She isn't expected to make more than two years. She has made her first birthday, and yesterday I celebrated the puppies' assigned birthday of 15 May with this post on FB.

Going sulfate-free shampoo - no more hair loss

Despite my hair being fast growing, for many years I have shed many hairs daily - certainly more than the 100-odd hairs that it is said we lose as part of normal hair loss. While the shedding feels less with shorter hair, and more with longer hair, I still felt that I was losing too much hair every day. A tangle in my brush and a wad in the shower daily. I always had little baby hairs on my hairline - and probably all over my scalp too. These were a clear indication that a sizeable of volume of hairs were constantly being replaced.

I had heard about some shampoo brands, including one that I used, being responsible for hair loss. After hearing this again a few months back, I turned to the internet.

The primary problem, it seems, is the sulfate ingredient in shampoo. Sulfates are responsible for that lovely foamy lather. On the ingredient list of most shampoos, you'll find sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfates. The shampoo that I had used for years contains both of these. 

It also contains a number of other ingredients - glycols, salt, silicones, artificial colourants, fragrances, and preservatives - that are skin irritants. This article explains the many shampoo chemicals. 

I never had an itchy, dry or dandruff scalp, but, because of the ingredients in my shampoo, my hair was subject to being stripped of its natural oils. The whole list of ingredients was responsible for making my hair dry, brittle, frizzy and weak, and affecting my hair follicles. Disruption to the protective keratin sheath around the hair shaft and follicle leads to hair loss too. With my sporty activities, I've generally been a daily hair washer, which increased by exposure to these damaging chemicals.

I headed to the shops to look for a sulfate-free shampoo. It took time to read the back of so many bottles, but finally in the African hair-care section I found a shampoo that is free of petroleum, paraben (preservative), sulfate and silicones. 

I've been using this Mango & Marula shampoo (by 'The Perfect Hair' brand) for about two months now. Of the no-no ingredients, it does contain propylene glycol, but this seems to be the lesser of the evils. It is priced similarly to most shampoos. The only other sulfate-free shampoo that I found was an expensive salon brand.

Within a week or two of using this shampoo, I had significantly less hair loss. My hair was longer then so I noticed the difference quickly in my brush and when washing my hair. The reduction in shedding has continued and I have very little hair loss now - I would say even below the requisite 100-odd hairs a day.

Without the sulfates, my shampoo does not foam. It takes a while to get used to this as it initially feels like your hair is not getting washed. But this sulfate-free shampoo seems to do its job.

My hair feels soft and healthy. The baby hairs on my hairline have grown significantly and I can only assume that this is happening all over my scalp.

I'm still using the same conditioner - to finish the container, but I'll look at changing to something from the same range as that shampoo. I'm that impressed.

Not my brush, but you get the idea. This is a drop in the ocean compared to what I was losing daily.